The Scottish Health Minister has outlined what support is available to NHS staff members as they battle the growing coronavirus pandemic.
Jeane Freeman spoke in Holyrood, saying: "What we are attempting to do – with all of the measures now in place – is to reduce the peak level of cases so that our health service can cope and so we can reduce the number of avoidable deaths."
📣 👩⚕️ 👨⚕️ All our NHS staff are doing an incredible job at this challenging time. Today I asked the Health Secretary for an assurance that mental health support is available to NHS staff to ensure their welfare and well-being needs are being met. Watch in full below ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/SGJ33p83J3
— Emma Harper, MSP (@EmmaHarperMSP) March 24, 2020
She added: "What this does mean though is that our health service will be working under significant pressure for longer.
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon: Holyrood will enforce coronavirus lockdown if necessary
"And so the health and wellbeing of our NHS and social care staff is really important. That is why Ms [Claire] Haughey as the Minister for Mental Health is leading a piece of national work with individual boards and extending through to local authorities and social care providers to look at what more we can do to assist them to ensure that support is available to staff in situations of high stress and anxiety.
"Practical support is available to them in terms of rest areas and just the ability to make a cup of tea and take five minutes or 10 minutes out, and the other support is available to them online or directly depending on what makes most sense."
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